Pregnant ewe killed in Tad dog attack

Police are investigating an incident in which dogs attacked and killed a pregnant ewe on a Tadcaster farm.

Two lurcher dogs - one black and one white - entered a field in the Catterton area at around 8pm on Saturday, April 14, and attacked a group of sheep.

One ewe was killed, as were its two unborn lambs, an act that was captured on CCTV.

Inspector Jon Grainge, of North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce, said: “Livestock worrying is a criminal offence, which is estimated to cost the farming community around £1.3m per year nationally.

“These graphic images are a reminder of the shocking consequences.

“Quite apart from the impact on their livelihoods, it is absolutely devastating for farmers to come across the bodies of sheep who have been attacked and then left to suffer a slow and painful death.

“Unfortunately, such attacks are a growing problem in rural communities, and North Yorkshire Police is part of a working group aiming to tackle the problem.

“We need dog owners to take responsibility for their animals - it’s particularly important that they keep their dogs on leads and under control when they make their way through sheep fields, and that where dogs are kept at home is secure.”

A report from the National Police Chiefs’ Council Livestock Worrying Police Working Group, published in February 2018, found that around 11 per cent of livestock worrying incidents involve repeat offenders (owners or walkers whose dog had worried or caused damage to livestock before), highlighting the importance of reporting all such incidents to the police.

Following the publication of the report, North Yorkshire Police is working with other forces and a wide range of stakeholders with an interest in this issue so that livestock can be better protected.

Anyone with any information on the Catterton attack is asked to contact police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Quote reference number 12180064128 when passing information.